This invention relates to a 2D and 3D arrays of pilot channels for the support and guidance of vehicles and containers which are moveable on elongated runners.
No patents or publications can be found which disclose 2D or 3D pilot-channel arrays for runner-supported vehicles.
Snowmobiles used in long-distance competition have been fitted with sharp-edged, carbide runner blades for several years. These elements permit the machine to travel over extended patches of frozen sand/gravel without wearing through the thin metal ski. However, the sharp ends and edges "dig" into a typical wood trailer deck during sliding movements. Provided enough brute force is available to force the sled, the loading/unloading process produces deep gouges in the trailer floor and reduces its life to a few uses. An alternative solution is to lift the machine with a hoist mounted on another vehicle. The pilot-channels of this invention have been developed after careful study of the profiles of skis and carbide blades and the safety factors related to driving one or more the sleds directly into a secure position on the trailer.